News items related to ag tech, biotech, trade – and perhaps some other interesting items out there related to agriculture – will be posted on this page throughout the week (as the week progresses newest items will be in greenat bottom of sections). Be sure to come back and check the page during the week.

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Given the July 4th holiday in the U.S. delayed news postings a bit and that was not started until Thursday the 6th, we’re just going to combine this week and next week into a singular page. Enjoy.

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TRADE, TRADE RELATED, INFRASTRUCTURE:

EU and Japan reach free trade deal – BBC News (July 6)

“However, few specific details are known and a full, workable agreement may take some time. Two of the most important sectors are Japanese cars and, for Europe, EU farming goods into Japan… Even once the agreement is fully signed, the deal is likely to have in place long transition clauses of up to 15 years to allow sectors in both countries time to adjust to the new outside competition.” – Link

A new trade deal between the EU and Japan – The Economist (July 8 edition)

“Besides slashing tariffs on cheese and cars, it sends a message to Donald Trump” – Link

Trump’s trade threats appear to be working — for now – Washington Post, Wonkblog – By Elizabeth Winkler (July 7)

“The world’s largest economies have responded to Trump’s trade threats with less protectionism, not more, according to a new study by Global Trade Alert, which has monitored protectionism among countries in the Group of 20 since 2008.” – Link

“The dpa news agency reported Tuesday that Merkel told a business audience in Bavaria that President Donald Trump’s administration had signaled it is ready to negotiate and that “for me a Trans-Atlantic agreement remains on the daily agenda.”” – Link

“The United States has officially requested South Korea to start the “process of negotiating to remove barriers to U.S. trade and consider needed amendments” to the U.S.-Korea free trade agreement (KORUS FTA).” – Link

Results of gene editing could be seen in livestock industry in a few years – The Land (Australia) – By Lucy Kinbacher July 10) – Link

“I would hope that sanity will rule the day because DNA is safe, we have been eating it since the beginning of time and there is nothing toxic being made…“Our focus has been to use natural (science elements) that already exist to improve the animals in ways that we can’t.” – Link

Zapping Noxious Weeds On Organic Farms Is Harder Than You Think – NPR, The Salt / Northwest Public Radio – By Courtney Flatt (July 10)

“We’re struggling. We’ve got a couple of [organic] fields that have some real thistle problems…This is the third time this year that Hunton has tine-weeded this field. It’s an all-day job. In his conventional wheat fields, he can spray once and be done with it. “We use a lot of steel and diesel to control weeds…”” – Link

“Importantly, what I heard from the vast majority of the growers, consultants and academicians that I’ve met and spoken with is this is an important tool and it can be used effectively and safely.” – Link

“But taking as his theme a quote attributed to Mark Twain that posits, “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled,” filmmaker Kennedy wants us to consider the notion that much of what we feel about GMOs may be wrong.” – Link

“The USRTK [US Right to Know] is a U.S. shell organization (funded by more than $400,000 per year from the organic industry) created to attack academic research on the benefits of biotechnology and genetically modified crops. The organization works to attack, discredit and scare academics.” – Link

“The goal? Distinguish their products from those of their competitors, and drive up sales in the process. While these tactics are often touted in the context of providing “transparency” for the consumer, they aren’t always truthful or based in science.” – Link

“Reports that some infant formula products on sale in Australia and New Zealand contain potentially ‘dangerous’ nanoscale particles have been dismissed by regulators and scientists — with one branding it blatant ‘scaremongering’.” – Link

USDA will publish a draft of its proposed federal GMO labeling rule in the fall of this year (which will be subject to public comment) and says it is “working hard to meet the schedule in order to issue a final rule on the law in July 2018.” – Link

“Going to the grocery store has become a parallel experience to reading political opinions online – half truths, emotional visuals, and the ability to exist in an echo chamber only interacting with others just like you.” – Link

“If you care about GMO labeling, you only have a few more days to respond to USDA’s 30 questions* about how to implement the new law. The looming deadline is both a stark reminder of the controversy around GMOs that brought the food industry to this point and a cue to learn valuable lessons that can be applied to the tremendous opportunity of gene editing.” – Link